Super Shakib steals Comilla's thunder

Fortune Barishal's Shakib Al Hasan provided yet another stellar all-round performance and sealed a rather comfortable 32-run win over Comilla Victorians at Sylhet International Cricket Stadium, Sylhet. This win took Barishal to the top of the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) table with 11 points from 8 matches. They are now ahead of Comilla, who were sitting at the top before the game with 9 points. 

Shakib has been in great touch with the bat for the past few matches and he continued his good run on Monday. He led his team from the front, bagging yet another fifty, two in two matches, before taking two wickets for only 20 runs from his 4 overs to kill the game off for Barishal. 

Winning the toss, Comilla captain Imrul Kayes elected to field first in the opening game of the Sylhet phase. Barishal had a blistering start as they bagged 28 runs from their first three overs thanks to Munim Shahriar who was hitting boundaries for fun. But that didn't last long as the 'Universe Boss' departed after yet another disappointing outing with the bat. He started to look dangerous as he hit two boundaries but failed to make it big and went back to the dressing room for 10 off 8 deliveries. Najmul Hossain Shanto then came and soon followed him back to the dressing room. 

Then came Shakib. He partnered with Munim and scored some quick runs in the middle overs. Munim struck four 4s and three 6s before departing for 45 off just 25 balls at a staggering strike rate of 180. Barishal were three down for 69 when Munim got out. It was all Shakib after that. 

The southpaw built a 67-run partnership with Towhid Hridoy on his way to scoring consecutive fifties. He struck four 4s and two maximums at a useful strike rate of 135. Hridoy accompanied him well but he was a bit too slow in the end. He bagged 31 runs at a strike rate under 100. 

Barishal could manage only 34 runs from the last 5 overs and eventually ended on 155 for 5. Shakib and Munim starred with the bat while left-arm spinner Tanvir Islam shone with the ball. The southpaw picked up a brace for 22 runs from his 3 overs. Mustafizur Rahman, Moeen Ali and Karim Janat picked up a wicket each. 

156 was always going to be a tricky score to chase down, and Comilla were without two of their batting superstars - Faf du Plessis and Cameron Delport - in their batting lineup. Shakib made the best use of this. He picked up early wickets to break the backbone of Comilla's batting order. He first sent Comilla skipper back to the hut in the very second over. 

Litton started to look dangerous and he played some classic shots before Shakib trapped him for his second wicket. Liton charged down the track and missed the line completely off Shakib. Nurul made no mistake behind the stumps to make them two down for 23. Comilla couldn't fight back from that. 

They kept on losing wickets in regular intervals. Only Mominul Haque played a 30-run innings meanwhile, that too from 30 deliveries. They were 8 down for 94 at one stage before spinner Tanvir Islam played a cameo of unbeaten 21 off 14 balls. They eventually finished on 123 for 9.

For Barishal, Nayeem Hasan picked up three wickets while Shakib and Dwayne Bravo bagged a brace each. Top-order batter Shanto bowled some off-spin and picked up the important wicket of Moeen Ali.

Shakib was adjudged man of the match for his brilliant all-round performance. The record man set yet another record through this. He became the first-ever player in the history of BPL to bag three consecutive 'man of the match' awards.